Commission rules out ban on full-strength grog

The Alice Springs Alcohol Reference Panel wanted the commission to ban the sale of full-strength alcohol.

7pm TV News NT

The Northern Territory alcohol regulator has decided not to toughen lunchtime alcohol restrictions in Alice Springs due to local opposition.

The Licensing Commission has rejected the recommendations of a Government-appointed advisory panel, which wanted outlets to only sell full-strength alcohol before 2pm if people were eating a meal.

The review was set up in response to a report on the ABC's Lateline program last year, which showed how three bars were legally serving alcohol to up to 450 people from 10am each weekday, and then closed their doors as soon as takeaway sales commenced at 2pm.

At the time, the Australian Hotels Association acknowledged many of the almost exclusively Indigenous clientele at the bars had alcohol problems, and in August the Chief Minister signalled his intention to move against bars.

"These types of animal bars were closed down in Darwin many years ago," he said.

"They have no place in the Northern Territory.

"People on licensed premises who seek to target a particular clientele only to tip them out on the street when bottle shops open, their time is coming."

But the commission has decided that adopting the advisory panel's recommendation would increase the social divide in Alice Springs.

"While imposing this measure on people having a meal could reduce alcohol consumption in the town, it would generate considerable community resentment, particularly if it was applied to restaurants, events, festivities and well managed clubs," the commission said in a statement.

"The use of recognised ID to gain entry should improve patron behaviour and prove effective in barring people with a history of harmful alcohol abuse," the commission's chairman Richard O'Sullivan said.

The Government has been blaming alcohol for increasing social dysfunction and crime in the town.

It is yet to say whether it will follow the commission's decision.

Country Liberals politician Adam Giles says the commission's decision is the right one.